Lily Luna's Secret
by DarkAngelOfSorrowReturns
Summary: Lily Luna Potter has a secret she's keeping from everyone, but what is it and why?


Note: Timeline - Set years after the Next-Gen graduates Hogwarts

* * *

"What are you doing out here, Lunabelle?"

Hearing the horrid nickname her boyfriend had given her, Lily whipped her head around to see Scorpius standing in the entryway of the garden. She smiled softly at him and tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear.

"I wanted some air," she replied, "one can only stay in that flat for so long."

Scorpius chuckled and made his way towards Lily. "Are you trying to tell me something?" he asked with an amused smile on his face.

Lily shook her head. "Only if something applies to you," she replied cheekily back. When Scorpius stood next to the sitting girl, Lily weaved her fingers in the grass. "You don't have to stay out here if you don't want to."

"But I want to," Scorpius said, ruffling Lily's hair.

Lily squeaked and tried to move away from him and his playful antics. "Cut it out, you prat!" she exclaimed, holding her hands in front of her to prevent him from getting closer.

"Can't even have fun with my girlfriend anymore," Scorpius sighed dramatically, "whatever shall I do now?"

"You could go meet Albus like you're _supposed_ to," Lily pointed out.

Scorpius' lips shaped into an 'o' at her statement. "Was that today?" he asked.

"Obviously, or I wouldn't have suggested it."

Scorpius cut his eyes towards her and stuck his tongue out in retaliation.

"Real mature, Scorpius," Lily remarked, rolling her eyes, "now go meet my brother before he sends another howler as a prank."

Scorpius took Lily's hands that were 'protecting her', leaned forward, and kissed Lily's forehead. "Alright, I'll be going. Don't wait up for me tonight; you know how Albus is."

Lily nodded as memories of the things Albus had done in the past came to her mind. "There are times I wish I _didn't_ know how he was."

With a grin, Scorpius kissed her before releasing her hands and leaving the garden. As his retreating figure grew smaller in the distance, Lily's ears picked up on the smallest of sounds.

A hissing sound more specifically.

This sound was something Lily had heard for years now. It used to frighten her to the very core, but after some time with the sound, Lily grew accustomed to it.

This sound began to speak to her, and Lily looked around to find its source.

" _How revolting…"_

Lily frowned. "What?" she asked. No one was around to hear that her question was said in an entirely different manner.

" _I am not...a fan of romance."_

Lily snorted, slightly amused by the statement. She should have known that's what it was referring to. "Did anyone see you?"

" _I am what I am for a reason...I know when not to be seen."_

Lily was very aware of what it was: a garden snake. The fact that she could talk to the snake scared her years ago, but now...now it was entirely different.

She heard of stories that her father was a parselmouth, and he didn't enjoy it. Not wanting to displease her father and bring forth attention and scandal that would no doubt surface in the wizard community, Lily kept it to herself, even from Scorpius.

It was a good thing that they didn't live together anymore, or her father might have caught her using the ability.

After the first few conversations, Lily felt more at ease to speak to the snake. She knew it was wrong, keeping something like this from her loved ones (which definitely took its toll on her heart), but Lily didn't want them to have to go through something that would bring back memories they chose to suppress.

So for now, Lily would always come to the garden to speak to the little snake alone. Getting to know such a creature in its own language was a milestone that Lily would treasure, but always regret because she couldn't say anything yet.

" _Thinking of them again...aren't you?"_

Lily reached for the snake once it was within reach. She rubbed its small head gently. "Is it that obvious?"

" _I'm no fool...I can read you."_

"I just…" Lily sighed, "I just feel so awful not sharing this with my family and friends."

" _You must...unless you want their shame."_

Lily's frown grew deeper at its statement, closing her eyes briefly. "I don't want to believe that."

" _You don't have to...but know it's true…"_

Lily didn't respond to the snake yet, simply rubbing its body colored in grotesque scales. Whether he was right or not, Lily couldn't tell her family about her ability. Even if they have suspicions, Lily couldn't confirm them.

Just because she accepted this a long time ago, doesn't mean that they will be as accepting. Her father, maybe, but the others? The rest of the wizarding world? Not a chance.

* * *

A/N: Written for The Houses Competition and HSWW (Challenges and Assignments)

 **(THC) House** : Hufflepuff; **Year/Position** : HoH; **Category** : Short; **Prompt** : [prompt] a character suddenly revealing a dishonest side

 **(HSWW) Assignment #6 Wizarding Languages** \- write about someone coming to terms with the fact he or she is a parselmouth (do not use a canon parselmouth)

 **Creature Feature** : Troll - (word) grotesque

 **Count Your Buttons** : (dialogue) "Did anyone see you?"

 **Love in Motion** : Next Gen - Scorpius/Lily Luna

 **Egg Hunt** \- Scorpius/Lily Luna

 **Easter Bingo** : 3. Word - Scandal

 **Couple Appreciation** : (word) attention

 **Word Count** : 798


End file.
